Carson Bantle scores hat trick to highlight Wisconsin hockey's win over No. 17 Penn State

MADISON – Mike Hastings summed up Carson Bantle’s night in one word.

“Earned.”

The Badgers senior recorded the team’s first hat trick of the season and the first of his career Friday night to lead the team to a 6-3 victory over No. 17 Penn State in front of 7,470 at the Kohl Center.

He entered play third on the team with 45 shots but with just four goals and seven points hadn't been rewarded much for his work. That changed against the Nittany Lions, who dropped to 9-6-3 overall and 2-4-3 in the Big Ten.

Box score:Wisconsin 6, Penn State 3

The performance allowed sixth-ranked UW to equal its win total from last season and raise its record to 13-4 overall, 7-2 in the Big Ten, and remain one point behind league-leader Penn State.

Bantle scored in the sixth minute to give the Badgers a 2-0 lead and in the first minute of the second period to push their edge to 3-1. He reached the back of the net a third time with a power play goal at the 16-minute 15-second mark of the third period that gave Wisconsin its final margin of victory.

His effort marked Wisconsin’s first hat trick since Mathieu De St. Phalle accomplished the feat March 3 at Michigan in the first round of the Big Ten tournament. Bantle said the hat trick was his first since squirts. It came on Wisconsin night.

"Growing up in Wisconsin, it's always a dream to play (here)," said Bantle, who is from Onalaska. "This is one of my favorite places and probably the best place on earth so there's nowhere else you want to play. That's for sure."

Twelve players score at least one point for the Badgers

The win was Wisconsin’s fourth straight. It was spurred by a fast start and boosted by a continued display of scoring depth.

Twelve Badgers scored a point. Freshman William Whitelaw recorded two goals for his second multi-goal performance of the season. Sophomore Charlie Stramel recorded three assists for a single-game career-high for points.

“We had some depth scoring … We need that to continue,” Hastings said. “There’s multiple times I’ve sat up here and we’ve talked about (Christian) Fitzgerald, we’ve talked about (David) Silye, we’ve talked about (Cruz) Lucius and Matty De St. Phalle. I thought other guys picked up where maybe those guys didn’t quite have the night they wanted to have. That allows us to get a lead and extend a lead.”

The Badgers set the tone during the first 10 minutes when they scored twice and outshot the Nittany Lions 11-3. Whitelaw’s goal at the 4:02 mark came off passes from sophomores Simon Tassy and Fitzgerald. Bantle’s score was set by senior Owen Lindmark and Stramel.

“I liked our puck management and I didn’t think we created a lot of opportunities for Penn State by being too aggressive on the forecheck and creating out-numbered rushes,” Hastings said. “I thought we were pretty responsible over the first 10 minutes and the game paid us back because of it.”

Badgers have one more game before break

Wisconsin can complete its fifth sweep of the Big Ten season with a win in the series finale Saturday (7 p.m. start). There is the potential for some especially inspired play after a third period that featured nine penalties – five on Penn State – that included a major for contact to the head by Penn State’s Aiden Fink and a game misconduct for UW freshman Brady Cleveland.

The game is Wisconsin's last before Christmas.

“Guys are trying to protect each other,” Hastings said. “Part of our game (and) part of their game is physicality and when you have that and you compete at a high level sometimes emotions are going to go in directions that might be a little bit outside the lines.

“For us we need a reset. I know one thing that’s going to happen tonight is Penn State is going to come back and they’re going to be really good tomorrow.”